The present invention concerns litter boxes of the type used in the home for the reception of liquid and solid waste matter.
In wide use are receptacles filled with particulate, usually absorbent, which absorbs liquid waste and receives solid waste matter. Regular cleaning of such receptacles is an arduous, disagreeable task in that the saturated material and solid waste must be removed and the receptacle cleaned and recharged with fresh, absorbent material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,148 discloses a litter box using particulate coated with wax to inhibit absorbency to permit liquid waste to pass downwardly to collection tray which may be provided with absorbent sheet material such as newsprint which eventually must be removed when saturated during a cleaning operation. The coated granules are formed from waste material e.g., ground corn cob, and treated with a wax coating. Other granular material is proposed which is also coated to retard absorbency.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,493 discloses a litter box comprised of inner and outer boxes with the inner box provided with a layer of filtering material such as sand while the lower box serves to collect liquid waste.
A problem exists in known litter boxes in that they present a difficult task in periodical treating of same in that a mass of saturated particulate must be disposed of, the container cleaned and the box recharged with fresh, absorbent material. Further, it is desireable that solid waste be periodically separated and removed from the absorbent material between those instances where the litter material is removed and replaced.